# Why do you need to age Cubans?



## iMarc (Feb 24, 2010)

I am ver inexperienced in the realm of Cuban cigars and what they taste like.

I've seen several posters mention that Cubans _need_ to be aged while Non-Cubans usually do not.

Why is that?

Do Cubans simply improve at a greater rate than Non-Cubans when aging?
Are Non-Cubans better out of the box than Cubans?


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## Scott W. (Jul 10, 2008)

It is primarily because NC's are aged and fermented longer prior to production or distribution. Cubans are not and although some smoke great off the truck (RASS, Hoyo Palma Extra for me), some need rest and have an "ammoniated" taste due to it's incomplete fermentation. Others go through a "sick period" where they will taste harsh and bitter so rest is a plus when dealing in CC's


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## iMarc (Feb 24, 2010)

Oops... I didn't think this needed to be in the special Cuban forum.

I was merely trying to figure out the differences between CC and NC and why people treat them so differently in regards to aging.

Sorry mods.


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## iMarc (Feb 24, 2010)

scottw said:


> It is primarily because NC's are aged and fermented longer prior to production or distribution. Cubans are not and although some smoke great off the truck (RASS, Hoyo Palma Extra for me), some need rest and have an "ammoniated" taste due to it's incomplete fermentation. Others go through a "sick period" where they will taste harsh and bitter so rest is a plus when dealing in CC's


It sounds like you are saying that most NCs are of higher quality because they age them longer prior to shipment?

Am I misreading that? Why aren't Cubans aged like NCs prior to shipping?


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## shuckins (Jun 24, 2009)

most nc tobacco is aged 5-7 years before rolling,cc tobacco is only aged a year or 2 before rolling. so nc's are already aged when you buy them...


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## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

iMarc said:


> Oops... I didn't think this needed to be in the special Cuban forum.
> 
> I was merely trying to figure out the differences between CC and NC and why people treat them so differently in regards to aging.
> 
> Sorry mods.


Marc, no problem. Any discussion about Cuban cigars should be placed in the Habanos section.


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## Scott W. (Jul 10, 2008)

iMarc said:


> *It sounds like you are saying that most NCs are of higher quality because they age them longer prior to shipment?*
> 
> Am I misreading that? Why aren't Cubans aged like NCs prior to shipping?


It's not what I am saying at all, I simply gave you the answer to your question.

As far as your next question, I would tend to think they try to distribute them ASAP because of the huge impact Cigars have on Cuba's financial system.


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## iMarc (Feb 24, 2010)

madurolover said:


> Marc, no problem. Any discussion about Cuban cigars should be placed in the Habanos section.


Gotcha.

I haven't visited this section of the site yet but now that I'm here, I see some fascinating reading ahead of me. :biggrin:

Thanks


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## Cigary (Oct 19, 2007)

iMarc said:


> It sounds like you are saying that most NCs are of higher quality because they age them longer prior to shipment?
> 
> Am I misreading that? Why aren't Cubans aged like NCs prior to shipping?


Not to be unresponsive or to pass your question off to the "search" on here is a very good tool for a lot of questions we have about cigars. I use it quite a bit myself because what I have questions about usually has been talked about at length. Short answers that we sometimes give on here will not give you the depth that you really are seeking and not really knowing how many follow up questions you might have a quick answer is usually given.

Researching cigars is quite interesting because you educate yourself in so many different aspects which is invaluable the next time you go to your B&M and are able to talk "cigar" with the owner or staff. The more you know about this hobby the better the enjoyment of the cigar you will smoke because you gave it the time to really find what you like vs picking out a "smoke" somebody thinks you will like. That is like a real estate person selling me a house before they did the work to find out what it is I like about a certain type of house. "Here, try this one" never works for me.


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## iMarc (Feb 24, 2010)

shuckins said:


> most nc tobacco is aged 5-7 years before rolling,cc tobacco is only aged a year or 2 before rolling. so nc's are already aged when you buy them...


Thanks, shuckins.



scottw said:


> It's not what I am saying at all, I simply gave you the answer to your question.
> 
> *As far as your next question*, I would tend to think they try to distribute them ASAP because of the huge impact Cigars have on Cuba's financial system.


Scary. It's as if I'm not the first person to ask these questions.

Thanks.


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## Scott W. (Jul 10, 2008)

iMarc said:


> Thanks, shuckins.
> 
> Scary. It's as if I'm not the first person to ask these questions.
> 
> Thanks.


I'm not sure I know what you mean, I was differentiating my points in order as to not confuse one of your questions with the other and confuse you with my answers.

"Thanks Scott" would work great next time.


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## iMarc (Feb 24, 2010)

Gary,
I do use the search tool quite frequently. I just didn't have much luck putting this question into terms that returned what I was looking for in this instance.

I've actually had a lot of luck reading forum responses to give me other key words to search for more information.


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## iMarc (Feb 24, 2010)

scottw said:


> I'm not sure I know what you mean, I was differentiating my points in order as to not confuse one of your questions with the other and confuse you with my answers.


NM. I had a reading comprehension issue there.

"Thanks Scott" would work great next time.[/QUOTE]

Thanks, Scott.


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## mhartnett (Dec 3, 2009)

Try this, too: http://www.cigarforums.net/forums/vb/habanos-discussion/267577-why-do-ccs-need-so-much-age.html


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## Scott W. (Jul 10, 2008)

iMarc said:


> NM. I had a reading comprehension issue there.
> 
> "Thanks Scott" would work great next time.


Thanks, Scott.[/QUOTE]

You are more than welcome Marc.:biggrin1:


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## Cigary (Oct 19, 2007)

iMarc said:


> Gary,
> I do use the search tool quite frequently. I just didn't have much luck putting this question into terms that returned what I was looking for in this instance.
> 
> I've actually had a lot of luck reading forum responses to give me other key words to search for more information.


I hear ya...sometimes if you don't use the right "key words" other useless info comes at ya and you're still left to wonder where is the answer.


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## iMarc (Feb 24, 2010)

mhartnett said:


> Try this, too: http://www.cigarforums.net/forums/vb/habanos-discussion/267577-why-do-ccs-need-so-much-age.html


Excellent.


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## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

I think the better question would be, "why do cubans _benefit_..." Back when I was a young whipper snapper, Cubans _had _to be aged. They were so quick, plant-to-box, that they were actually nasty when fresh. This is no longer the case and nearly all smoke just fine right off the truck.

There is a hitch. While Cuba now ages it's tobacco before rolling, they still don't age the cigar well enough. This is improving as they produce more and more, but you can still run into a "sick" period, months down the road.

HOWEVER! Cubans, to the last stick, benefit tremendously with ample age (>5yrs) and become something no NC can touch. Depth, complexity, strength (in some cases), detail, sublety, nuance, texture, body, aroma... all improve, some more dramatically than others.


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## mvorbrodt (Jan 13, 2010)

Herf N Turf said:


> I think the better question would be, "why do cubans _benefit_..." Back when I was a young whipper snapper, Cubans _had _to be aged. They were so quick, plant-to-box, that they were actually nasty when fresh. This is no longer the case and nearly all smoke just fine right off the truck.
> 
> There is a hitch. While Cuba now ages it's tobacco before rolling, they still don't age the cigar well enough. This is improving as they produce more and more, but you can still run into a "sick" period, months down the road.
> 
> HOWEVER! Cubans, to the last stick, benefit tremendously with ample age (*>5yrs*) and become something no NC can touch. Depth, complexity, strength (in some cases), detail, sublety, nuance, texture, body, aroma... all improve, some more dramatically than others.


Oh boy... so what is a new CC smoker suppoused to do for the first 5 years? Just buy 

OK OK, JK.

But can you recommend a brand that needs LEAST aging?


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

Some brands smoke better than others ROTT

RASCC
Monte #4
San Cristobal El Principe
Party Short
Trin Reyes

are some that come to mind.


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## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

mvorbrodt said:


> Oh boy... so what is a new CC smoker suppoused to do for the first 5 years? Just buy
> 
> OK OK, JK.
> 
> But can you recommend a brand that needs LEAST aging?





asmartbull said:


> Some brands smoke better than others ROTT
> 
> RASCC
> Monte #4
> ...


Or buy stock that is already aged.


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## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

mvorbrodt said:


> Oh boy... so what is a new CC smoker suppoused to do for the first 5 years? Just buy
> 
> OK OK, JK.
> 
> But can you recommend a brand that needs LEAST aging?


I thought that was what Non-Cubans were for 



madurolover said:


> Or buy stock that is already aged.


There ya go!


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## kRaZe15 (Jan 25, 2010)

at what rh would you recomend aging them in?


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## JGD (Mar 2, 2009)

kRaZe15 said:


> at what rh would you recomend aging them in?


For a few years? Low 60s. For 10+? I've heard mid 50s is best.


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## mvorbrodt (Jan 13, 2010)

Herf N Turf said:


> *I thought that was what Non-Cubans were for*
> 
> There ya go!


That's like staying with your old girlfriend while waiting for the Olsen twins to become legal :hurt:


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## bpegler (Mar 30, 2006)

One of the best cigars I have smoked was rolled right in front of me at a LCDH. It was 30 seconds old when I lit it. A large torpedo that tasted like fresh turned earth. Admittedly the tobacco was from the Partagas factory and had some age, but it smoked like a dream. I think a lot of Cubans prefer to smoke this way, with really fresh cigars.


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## thrasher64 (Jun 4, 2009)

Some of the 8-9 year old Fonseca's I've recently come into possession of seem to have aged well but other packs, from the same vintage, taste horrible. Totally hit and miss. I wonder if they were just kept in to air tight of a humidor all that time and didn't age like they should have. 

Going to keep them around and see what develops. :ranger:


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